Matilda, one of British author Roald Dahl's most popular stories, is set to become London's most popular show. After a short, but highly successful twelve-week run at The Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Matilda the musical has now opened in London's West End at the Cambridge Theatre.
Roald Dahl - the Master Storyteller
Roald Dahl was born in Wales on 13th September 1916 to Norwegian parents Harald and Sofie Dahl. As a child he had a lively imagination that got him into trouble on many occasions. At the age of eight, while attending The Cathedral School, Llandaff, he and four of his friends put a dead mouse into a jar of gob stoppers in a local sweet shop, an event referred to by the boys as the ″Great Mouse Plot of 1924″. The punishment was a caning from the headmaster!
The mischievous child grew into the mischievous adult. Putting his imagination to good use Dahl went on to become one of the world's most highly acclaimed children's authors, with titles such as ″James and the Giant Peach″, ″Charlie and the Chocolate Factory″, ″The Witches″, ″Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator″, and of course, ″Matilda″.
The master storyteller died on 23 November 1990, aged 74, but the story goes on...
Matilda the Musical
Acclaimed playwright Dennis Kelly has taken Dahl's Matilda, a story about a little girl with magical powers, and adapted it for the stage creating a script which is rich in humour, but which also heightens the emotion of the original story. The score, by Australian comedian, musician and composer, Tim Minchin, employs witty lyrics and resounding songs to tell the story. Musical direction plus additional music and orchestrations are by Christopher Nightingale, with sound by Simon Baker, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, and illusions and special effects by Paul Kieve. Inventive choreography by Peter Darling, who also choreographed dance routines in Billy Elliot, adds fizz to the whole production, which by the way is designed by Rob Howell. Matilda is directed by Matthew Warchus who also directed the musical version of ″Lord of the Rings″.
The Cast in December 2011
In December 2011 the title role is shared by Cleo Demetriou, Kerry Ingram, Sophia Kiely and Eleanor Worthington Cox.
The roles of Bruce, Lavender, Amanda, Nigel, Eric and other pupils at Crunchem Hall Primary School are playing by three teams of eight performers including Thomas Atkinson, Jake Bailey, James Beesley, Ruby Bridle, Oonagh Cox, Jemima Eaton, Alicia Gould, Zachary Harris, Callum Henderson, Fleur Houdijk, Jamie Kaye, William Keeler, Lily Laight, Katie Lee, Isobelle Molloy, Jemima Morgan, Toby Murray, Alfie Manser, Lucy May Pollard, Annabel Parsons, Ellie Simons, Louis Suc, Jaydon Vijn and Ted Wilson.
The adult cast includes Bertie Carvel making his London debit as the psychopathic child abuser, Miss Trunchbull, headmistress of Crunchem Hall Primary School, the role he created for the RSC's Stratford production. Also on stage are Paul Kaye (Mr Wormwood), Josie Walker (Mrs Wormwood), Lauren Ward (Miss Honey), Marc Antolin (Henchman) and Verity Bentham (Cook), together with Peter Howe, Michael Kent, Melanie La Barrie, Matthew Malthouse, Alastair Parker, Nick Searle and Emily Shaw who also appeared in the original production at The Courtyard Theatre. Additional adult parts are played by Matthew Clark, Leanne Pinder, Rachel Moran, Lucy Thatcher, Tim Walton and Gary Watson.
Matilda the Musical – What the Critics Say
According to theatre critic Charles Spencer, writing in The Telegraph (25th November 2011), Matilda ″is the best new British musical since Billy Elliot.″ Spencer's opinion is echoed by theatre critics everywhere. Watch out Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber – Kelly and Minchin make a formidable duo and are likely to create even better musical theatre shows in the future.
Further information and tickets are available from Matilda the Musical, or from the Cambridge Theatre, telephone 0044 (0)844 412 4652 or the RSC Ticket Hotline 0044 (0) 844 800 1110.
Frances Spiegel - Frances Spiegel, B.A. Hons. (Open)., Dip.Eur.Hum., read Art History/European Modern History at the Open University.
